UHLC alumna Mini Timmaraju makes history as president of Reproductive Freedom for All

October 4, 2023 — University of Houston Law Center alumna Mini Timmaraju (J.D. ’99) is the first woman of color to become president of Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America), a non-profit and advocacy organization that works to advance reproductive freedom and abortion access Born in Hyderabad, India to an Indian American family, Timmaraju moved to Sugar Land, Texas in her youth before attending the University of California, Berkeley, and earning her J.D. at UHLC.

Having also worked for Comcast, Planned Parenthood, the Biden Harris Administration, and the Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign, Timmaraju answered the following questions, providing insight into her memories of UHLC and advice to law students.

What does becoming the first woman of color to lead Reproductive Freedom for All (formerly NARAL Pro-Choice America) mean to you?

In my career, I’ve often had the experience of being “the first” because reproductive rights is a legacy movement that has been historically led by white women. It is an honor but also a tremendous responsibility to make sure I’m not “the only,” so I have been intentional about hiring a very diverse team around me. We have created the first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion team at our organization. If you want to create a successful political strategy to win back fundamental freedoms, you must build a coalition that looks like the country and must bring young voters and voters of color to the table. The recent erosion of certain rights like access to abortion in states like Texas disproportionately affects communities of color. I personally feel a major obligation to do everything I can at this organization to restore those rights, as I personally identify with those communities.

What led you to pursue a legal education at UHLC? What were some of your favorite professors/memories here?

I knew that I wanted to be an advocate for marginalized communities and work in social justice. I am from the Houston area, having grown up in Sugar Land, so going to law school back home was a great opportunity. I was active in the Public Interest Law Association, and I worked closely with Professor Ellen Marrus. She is a long-time friend, became a mentor to me, and did a lot of clinical work with me. Irene Rosenberg was one of my favorite professors as well, and I got the Distinguished Service and Civil Rights Award while I was at UH because of her leadership and our work together. I also loved working with Ron Turner, whom I took Employment Discrimination with. All three of these professors were very engaged in social justice work. I also had a close relationship with Professor John Mixon, who is a lovely person and very dedicated to his students. He was so incredibly kind and compassionate and made me feel a sense of belonging.

In what other ways did a J.D. help you in your career?

I have a J.D., but never passed the bar exam. Which means I am a lawyer by education but am not a practicing attorney. For me, it was the law school experience that most prepared me. Having that J.D. and fluency in how to interpret law has been very valuable. What has been most valuable to me, however, also relates to the diversity factor. Law school was probably the first time I, a person of color and an immigrant, was in an environment where I was empowered and actually encouraged to debate and go toe to toe with powerful white men. The Socratic method really prepared me for my future work. The experiences I had gave me a level of confidence that allowed me to feel like I could compete with anyone in any field. Therefore, in future endeavors when facing powerful individuals and working in government, I didn’t feel intimidated. I had a very strong level of confidence because I came out of UH Law, where we all treated each other with respect, giving me confidence in my ability to “be at the table.” That confidence to thoroughly study my position and to defend it against folks of very different political backgrounds than mine has served me incredibly well my whole career.

What is one valuable lesson you learned at UHLC?

I learned many important things through all the work I did with Ellen Marrus and Professor Janet Heppard in the public interest clinics. The most important thing I learned from them was how to treat a client with dignity and respect. We had many lower-income clients who qualified for services from our law school clinics, and we treated everyone who worked with us with the same respect they would get if they were corporate clients in a law firm. Understanding that they deserved the same kind of rigorous representation as a for-profit client did was something that has always stayed with me. I am very passionate about centering the people we are advocating for first. It’s the most powerful lesson I learned at UHLC.

What advice would you give to law students who are unsure of their next steps?

I encourage students to try things out, which I did in law school. I spent summers working at law firms, in government, did many clinical hours, and was a volunteer advocate at the Houston Area Women’s Center all throughout law school. I tried things out to see how they would land and fit with my personality and goals. And it was through that process of elimination that I decided I wanted to work on campaigns. My advice is to take advantage of this time in your life to have as many different experiences, and you will be able to find your passion and path. What has made me successful is to follow my passion and bliss, which I found through trial and error.

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